Posted on 05/03/2026 11:41:17 PM PDT by Cronos
The delay in Dick Advocaat becoming Curaçao’s head coach might have been ominous but instead it was the foundation for glory. Frustrated by the national federation’s financial problems, he deferred starting until January 2024, when the problems were resolved and players paid, paving the way for a historic World Cup qualifying campaign.
Curaçao will be the smallest nation – by land area and population – to play at the World Cup after their 0-0 draw in Jamaica on Wednesday. The Caribbean island has a population of 156,000, sinking the previous record holders, Iceland, which has about 400,000 inhabitants. Last month Cape Verde were confirmed as surprise tournament debutants but the African nation is almost 10 times bigger by area than the former Dutch colony, indicating the level of achievement by Advocaat and his squad.
It’s an impossibility that is made possible,” the winger Kenji Gorré says from the team hotel in Jamaica after two hours’ sleep. “It’s literally impossible for such a small island, such a small 150,000 population, and now to go to the biggest pinnacle of football is unbelievable.”
Advocaat initiated contact with Curaçao about the job, knowing that by the time the tournament came around he would be 78. That could be another bit of history because Advocaat may become the oldest coach in the tournament’s history, surpassing Otto Rehhagel, who was 71 years and 317 days old when he oversaw Greece’s third and final group game in 2010. Although Romania’s coach Mircea Lucescu is hoping to make it through the playoffs and take charge in North America at the age of 80.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
Dear FRiends,
We need your continuing support to keep FR funded. Your donations are our sole source of funding. No sugar daddies, no advertisers, no paid memberships, no commercial sales, no gimmicks, no tax subsidies. No spam, no pop-ups, no ad trackers.
If you enjoy using FR and agree it's a worthwhile endeavor, please consider making a contribution today:
Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you,
Jim
Curaçao has a population of 158,675 (January 2019 estimate), with an area of 444 km2 (171 sq mi).
Area-wise it is smaller than NYC which has 300.46 sq mi (778.18 km2)
Sounds like he should be leading a gay rights march...
It isn’t my beloved guardian. It’s free and it shows how the enemy thinks.
you may like it’s politics, but I loathe its politics
It isn’t my beloved guardian. It’s free and it shows how the enemy thinks.
you may like it’s politics, but I loathe its politics.
Why do you pose as a right wing if you like the leftist policies?
“Curaçao will be the smallest nation – by land area and population – to play at the World Cup after their 0-0 draw in Jamaica on Wednesday.” Well, good for them, but I think I’d rather watch paint dry than soccer.
All the players were born and grew up in The Netherlands, that’s how.
And the World Cup field has been expanded to be almost the entire UN.
Maybe there’s hope for San Marino.
48 teams...12 groups of 4...when was it fewer than that?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.